Know the Facts About Cystic Fibrosis

By: Editor in Illness on 16-01-2018

Diseases are always more dangerous and painful when they strike children. Our children are our future and parents will do anything they can to keep them safe. However sometimes without even knowing it, parents may pass the genes to certain diseases to their children.

Cystic fibrosis is one of the most dangerous and potentially fatal genetic diseases that a child can receive from their parents. Cystic Fibrosis is one of the leading causes of death in children from infancy through to early adulthood. Cystic Fibrosis is most dangerous as it attacks the lungs. However it also can cause many other complications. It can cause diabetes, sinus issues and serious vitamin deficiencies.

Cystic Fibrosis Facts

There has been a lot of research that has been done on cystic fibrosis. Despite that, there are many people who don’t know much about it. It’s apparently not as popular as something like cancer that everyone knows about.

Cystic fibrosis is genetic. It comes from genes that are defective and passed down from parents to children. Approximately 1 in 25 people are carriers of the defective gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis. This makes it fairly common for someone to contract the disease. Cystic Fibrosis will cause all manner of medical problems in a child. While the lungs are the most targeted, there are a lot of other issues that come from the complications.

What Causes Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease. This means that it is not preventable when it happens to a child. There are many people who carry the potential to cause cystic fibrosis. These carriers have a defective copy of the gene responsible for the disease. However a single carrier passing on the gene is not enough to cause cystic fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis is only caused when both parents are carriers and both pass on the gene to their child. If only one passes it on, then that child becomes a carrier. It’s also possible for neither affected parent to pass on the gene and the child to be completely unaffected and not be a carrier.

Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms

Since Cystic Fibrosis can be so devastating, it’s good to know the symptoms from an early age. Finding out early is useful to work on treatment. Some are caused directly from the disease, and some from the complications it causes. Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:

Respiratory Issues: There are quite a few respiratory problems that come. Cystic Fibrosis causes a very thick and troubling mucus to be formed. This mucus will often lead to wheezing, blocked nasal passages and sinuses and a severe shortness of breath.

Digestive Problems: Just as the mucus causes respiratory issues, it also causes a lot of problems with digestion. This comes from enzymes that damage the pancreas and small intestine. Those with Cystic Fibrosis often feel severe constipation or nausea. They can also suffer from a swollen abdomen. Children with cystic fibrosis will often lose any appetite, not gain weight and stop having proper growth.

Cystic Fibrosis Treatment

The next step with Cystic Fibrosis is trying to find out about treatments. Obviously finding out about the symptoms and diagnosis early will provide an edge to any form of treatment that is being done.

Typically the first form of treatment is some form of medication. These are good for lung infections and will often work on the major symptoms reducing their severity. Beyond medications there are also several surgical procedures which may become options if things are severe. Following that, there is also physical therapy. This therapy is targeted at the chest region to help loosen mucus as much as possible.

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